Our history

The General Laboratory for Testing and Research (Laboratori General d’Assaigs i Investigacions, LGAI) is established in Barcelona as a public testing and research entity.

1937

Marine welding engineer, Lambertus van Ouwerkerk, founded his firm, the non-destructive testing (NDT) specialist RTD, in 1937. He built a successful business by realizing that X-ray inspection techniques could be utilized in order to check welds on ship hulls.

Van Ouwerkerk believed that NDT would play a crucial role in the use of welding techniques as a replacement for traditional riveting in steel construction.

1971

IDIADA starts out as the “Institute for Applied Automotive Research” at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia's Higher Engineering School.

1981

Norcontrol was born, to respond to a need of the Unión Fenosa group, in issues related to maintenance and the environment. It was created, therefore, as a subsidiary of Unión Fenosa.

1982

VELOSI was founded in 1982, when the company opened its first office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We offered conventional non-destructive testing (NDT) to local clients. In 1987, VELOSI became the largest inspection company in the country, when it was awarded its first inspection contract with Shell in Miri (located in the East Malaysian state of Sarawak)

IDIADA A.T. (80% owned by Applus+ and 20% by the Generalitat of Catalonia) has since 1999 been operating under an exclusive contract at the 331-hectare technology centre near Barcelona (owned by the Generalitat of Catalonia), which includes the most comprehensive independent proving ground, testing laboratories and vehicle development centre for motor vehicles in Europe. The contract runs until 2024 and is renewable until 2049.

2003

Privatisation of LGAI with its incorporation into the Applus+ Group as a division dedicated to testing and certification.

Applus+ acquires Dutch Group Röntgen Technische Dienst (RTD), the European leader in non-destructive testing and inspection for the European oil and gas industry. Applus+ positions itself as the market leader in oil and gas industry testing.

2011

Applus+ achieves a €1206M turnover accross more than 65 countries.

Applus+ acquires the multinational Malaysian company VELOSI, specializing in inspection services, certification, testing and personnel recruitment for the oil and gas industry, thereby consolidating its global leadership in the sector.

The company acquires German firm BKW, which offers testing and materials characterisation for the European aeronautics industry.

Between 2002 and 2011, thanks to a steady process of internationalisation, 70% of turnover is achieved outside of Spain across five continents.

2014

Applus+ Mongolia started to provide technical experts for the Shangri-La UB Hotel construction project which was implemented by Samsung C&M Corp., one of South Korea's leading construction and traiding companies.

Applus+ is listed on the Madrid stock Exchange in May 2014.

2016

In 2016, Applus Australia enters into the UAV market through the acquisition of Aerial Photography Specialists (APS), a market leader in remote visual inspections using Drones and specialized HD camera equipment.

2016

Energy & Industry is born as a result of the Integration of the former Applus+RTD, Applus+ Velosi and Applus+ Norcontrol divisions.

2017

Applus+ Mongolia become the reprensentative of the Owner's Engineer of Tractebel, ENGIE's engineering arm, at the construction site of "Sainshand Wind Farm".

Applus+ Mongolia actively contributed in construction of "Tsogt Tsetsee Wind Farm" from the start and provided highly skillful local and expatriate engineering staffs to the EPC contractor - Vestas, #1 WTG supplier in the world.

The General Laboratory for Testing and Research (Laboratori General d’Assaigs i Investigacions, LGAI) is established in Barcelona as a public testing and research entity.

1937

Marine welding engineer, Lambertus van Ouwerkerk, founded his firm, the non-destructive testing (NDT) specialist RTD, in 1937. He built a successful business by realizing that X-ray inspection techniques could be utilized in order to check welds on ship hulls.

Van Ouwerkerk believed that NDT would play a crucial role in the use of welding techniques as a replacement for traditional riveting in steel construction.

1971

IDIADA starts out as the “Institute for Applied Automotive Research” at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia's Higher Engineering School.

1981

Norcontrol was born, to respond to a need of the Unión Fenosa group, in issues related to maintenance and the environment. It was created, therefore, as a subsidiary of Unión Fenosa.

1982

VELOSI was founded in 1982, when the company opened its first office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We offered conventional non-destructive testing (NDT) to local clients. In 1987, VELOSI became the largest inspection company in the country, when it was awarded its first inspection contract with Shell in Miri (located in the East Malaysian state of Sarawak)

IDIADA A.T. (80% owned by Applus+ and 20% by the Generalitat of Catalonia) has since 1999 been operating under an exclusive contract at the 331-hectare technology centre near Barcelona (owned by the Generalitat of Catalonia), which includes the most comprehensive independent proving ground, testing laboratories and vehicle development centre for motor vehicles in Europe. The contract runs until 2024 and is renewable until 2049.

2003

Privatisation of LGAI with its incorporation into the Applus+ Group as a division dedicated to testing and certification.

Applus+ acquires Dutch Group Röntgen Technische Dienst (RTD), the European leader in non-destructive testing and inspection for the European oil and gas industry. Applus+ positions itself as the market leader in oil and gas industry testing.

2011

Applus+ achieves a €1206M turnover accross more than 65 countries.

Applus+ acquires the multinational Malaysian company VELOSI, specializing in inspection services, certification, testing and personnel recruitment for the oil and gas industry, thereby consolidating its global leadership in the sector.

The company acquires German firm BKW, which offers testing and materials characterisation for the European aeronautics industry.

Between 2002 and 2011, thanks to a steady process of internationalisation, 70% of turnover is achieved outside of Spain across five continents.

2014

Applus+ Mongolia started to provide technical experts for the Shangri-La UB Hotel construction project which was implemented by Samsung C&M Corp., one of South Korea's leading construction and traiding companies.

Applus+ is listed on the Madrid stock Exchange in May 2014.

2016

In 2016, Applus Australia enters into the UAV market through the acquisition of Aerial Photography Specialists (APS), a market leader in remote visual inspections using Drones and specialized HD camera equipment.

2016

Energy & Industry is born as a result of the Integration of the former Applus+RTD, Applus+ Velosi and Applus+ Norcontrol divisions.

2017

Applus+ Mongolia become the reprensentative of the Owner's Engineer of Tractebel, ENGIE's engineering arm, at the construction site of "Sainshand Wind Farm".

Applus+ Mongolia actively contributed in construction of "Tsogt Tsetsee Wind Farm" from the start and provided highly skillful local and expatriate engineering staffs to the EPC contractor - Vestas, #1 WTG supplier in the world.